The entire courtyard was silent except for the sound of my movements.
Cassian returned in a flurry, his red clothes billowing behind him, a smile lighting up his face. "Snow, I'm back!"
Everyone had retired early after dinner, leaving me alone in the pavilion, wrapped in a fox fur, enjoying the snow. It was dark, and I couldn't see much.
Seeing him, I greeted him as always, fulfilling my role as a devoted wife, inquiring about his well-being.
Cassian's smile was truly captivating.
When I was stranded on the streets, he dismounted like a god.
He was no god; he was a real person who came to my rescue.
He smiled, retrieving a golden hairpin from his sleeve. "The princess at the palace gave this as a reward. I think it suits Snow perfectly."
I knew I didn't deserve it, but before I could refuse, he pulled me into his embrace, his voice low and gentle. "Don't move."
He led me back to our bedroom, showing me my reflection in the mirror. The golden hairpin was exquisite, even if it wasn't to my taste.
"It's indeed beautiful, and I love it," I said with a gentle smile, seeing my reflection in his eyes.
Cassian might be a playboy, but at least, with him, I had a home.
2
Perhaps I had been wandering for too long, and before spring even arrived, my health took a nosedive. At first, it was just a lack of appetite, but Ashley assumed I was pregnant and hurried to call the doctor.
The diagnosis, however, left her thoroughly disappointed. I could hear her voice echoing through the house, filled with frustration. "What good is it to bring home a sickly wife?"
Within three days, a beautiful maid appeared in our home, supposedly to take care of me, but really, she was there to serve as a concubine.
She was always close to me but even closer to Cassian.
I spent my days relying on medicine to keep me alive, yet I saw no improvement.
That was until I caught Fiona Portman, the maid, dumping my medicine into a flower pot.
What have I been drinking all this time?
When she brought me another bowl of medicine, I flatly refused.
She insisted, and in the struggle, the bowl shattered on the floor.
"What did you put in there?" I managed to push myself up, my voice weak and shaky.
Fiona smirked, looking down at me with disdain. "Just a disposable pawn thinking you can win Cassian's heart?"
I collapsed back onto the floor, hearing her mutter to herself.